This year marks 200 years since the Church Missionary Society first put down roots in Paihia. As part of the Paihia200
bicentennial celebrations, local iwi (Ngāti Rahiri and Ngāti Kawa) and the Paihia Historical Legacy Society (PHLS) have
worked with Auckland-based creative technology studio Method to create an innovative mobile app called Ātea Nuku
Timewalk Paihia.
Ātea Nuku is an experiential walking tour that brings the history and legacy of Paihia to life through location-based
AR, audio, animation, 360 video and text. It opens a window to the past, a legacy trail that shares the unique stories
of early cultural encounters in Paihia and the relationships fostered between the missionaries, their families and mana
whenua.
Paihia holds an important place in the nation’s history, as the place where Māori and British missionaries and settlers
held significant conversations about how they could co-exist and thrive together in the future.
Waitangi Marae chairman and Uri O Te Kemara (descendant of Te Kemara) Ngati Kawa Taituha said the legacy trail
celebrates the bond between two cultures, which had been crucial to the signing of the 1835 Declaration of Independence
and the ensuing Te Tiriti o Waitangi/Treaty of Waitangi.
"The bicentennial will be commemorated in a way that enhances the mana of everyone involved," Taituha says. "What we can
do is learn from the past to make a better future for Aotearoa, as intended through the visionary foresight of both
Māori and the missionaries when Te Tiriti was drafted and signed.”
PHLS Chair Martin Williams, says "This app is a significant milestone in preserving and sharing the early history of
Paihia. It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved in this project."
Users can access the stories by scanning QR codes through the app at 12 significant locations within easy walking
distance of each other, including Te Tii Marae, the original Mission Village location, and Manukaihuia Hill, with views
from the Paihia foreshore to historic Kororāreka.
It’s been an exciting and challenging project for Method, involving extensive curation of the written and oral histories
of the area and regular location visits to work through the technical aspects.
No strangers to creating awe-inspiring experiences using technology in ground-breaking ways, Method launched the first
augmented reality tour in Aotearoa for Ngati Whatua Orakei – an app that pushed the boundaries for Māori tourism,
showcasing Bastion Point (Takaparawhau) in Auckland and the historical significance of the site.
Method’s Managing and Creative Director Sam Ramlu is excited to share another such experience with Kiwis. “Creating Ātea
Nuku has been a remarkable journey. The stories of Paihia are important stories for all of Aotearoa, and we’ve loved
being able to turn them into a beautiful, engaging and educational digital experience.”
Featuring AR reconstructions, 360° video and more, all accessed via QR technology, Ātea Nuku shows the amazing ways in
which historical locations can be brought to life to educate and inspire modern day visitors.
For more information on Ātea Nuku visit www.timewalkpaihia.co.nz/ or download the app through the Apple or Google Play stores.